2012 Stockton Metro passenger count a record high

STOCKTON - Stockton Metropolitan Airport reported 2012 was a record year for travel, with more than 62,000 passengers passing through its boarding gate in the past year, up from 55,300 in 2011.

Reed Fujii

STOCKTON - Stockton Metropolitan Airport reported 2012 was a record year for travel, with more than 62,000 passengers passing through its boarding gate in the past year, up from 55,300 in 2011.

That's the most since Allegiant Travel Co. began service here in 2006, even excluding the nearly 1,600 Hawaii-bound departing passengers from the new once-a-week service begun in late November. Most of the gains, however, came in the first half of 2012 as Allegiant trimmed its flight schedule in a successful bid to fill more of the seats on each airplane.

"We did really well, given the challenges," said Airport Director Patrick Carreno, referring to the Allegiant reductions.

"They did cut back towards the end of the year," he said Monday. But as a result, the airline filled about 90 percent or more of available seats in the last half of 2012.

Looking ahead, Carreno said he expects the airport could handle even more passengers this year as Allegiant's current schedule boosts the number of weekly flights to Las Vegas - its bread-and-butter destination - as well as continuing service to Honolulu. The airline has even slated two Hawaii flights a week in June and July.

"We have a pretty strong spring coming up, through summer," he said. "We think we'll stay on top of that (2012 record) number this year."

Also in the coming months, Carreno hopes to find a new concessionaire to operate the restaurant in the airport terminal.

Tommy Joyce, who has operated the Top Flight Cafe & Catering Co. there for the past 18 years, has said he will continue to operate through June and then retire.

San Joaquin County, which owns and operates the airport, has opened a formal bidding process for the restaurant facility. The bid opening is scheduled for Jan. 16.

Carreno admitted the initial response has been low, but the county still has many months to find a new operator.

"We may just need to do a better job of trying to generate interest and try to negotiate directly with people," he said.

"We want the passengers to be served, so we want to do everything we can to make sure that's happening."

Joyce, who turns 69 this month, is looking forward to retirement.

"I basically intend to fish and relax," he said Monday.

"I've been here 18 years, and the county has been very good to me," Joyce noted. Also, he's marking this 40th year as a sole proprietor running a business in California.

But with the restaurant lease coming up for renewal this year, he recalled, "I said, 'It's time.' "